Automotive vehicles may utilize an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system to recirculate a portion of the exhaust gas to the combustion chambers of the cylinder head for nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission control. The EGR system may include an EGR cooler upstream of the intake manifold and configured to cool the recirculated exhaust gas to improve the charge efficiency of the exhaust gas into the combustion chamber. This, in turn, reduces the temperature of combustion in the cylinder head combustion chamber in an effort to more efficiently suppress the generation of NOx. Such EGR cooler arrangements may trap air in the cooler during a service fill or vapor as a result of coolant boiling within the EGR cooler. Either of these scenarios may lead to undesirable overheat conditions in the EGR cooler, including potential mechanical failure of the cooler components. Thus, while conventional EGR coolers work for their intended purpose, there remains a need for improvement in the relevant art.